Half Barrels

Half Barrels

Did you know? Casks are sourced mainly from the US and Spain, where they have previously been used to age whiskey and sherry. Scotch whisky rules allow repeated use of casks for maturation, the law for bourbon is such that they can only use the cask once. This normally ensures a good onward supplyof casks for the Scotch whisky trade. Securing a supply of them is part of the distillers’ challenge, and getting long use out of them is important too.
As the interaction between wood and spirit is integral to the maturation process, smaller casks tend to mature Scotch whisky quicker. By contrast, large casks such as butts, puncheons or port pipes usually require a longer maturation process, often of 15-20 years or more.
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